Simple Rob Allen question....

[incubus2432]

How is the unplugged volume of a Rob Allen MB-2? Is it on par with a solid body electric or does it resonate more? Not like an acoustic obviously but would it provide "some" acoustic volume?

I have zero opportunity to play one before buying and part of the reason I want it is for unplugged home noodling.

 

[KJung]

How is the unplugged volume of a Rob Allen MB-2? Is it on par with a solid body electric or does it resonate more? Not like an acoustic obviously but would it provide "some" acoustic volume?

I have zero opportunity to playone before buying and part of the reason I want it is for unplugged home noodling.

I LOVE the sound of a Rob Allen unplugged. I am constantly playing it unplugged at home. It resonates beautifully. It's not that it is particularly louder uplugged than a solid body, but it is full sounding and musical.

Don't get me wrong, you couldn't even use it uplugged with an acoustic guitarist IMO... but for just sitting around playing alone, it really sounds wonderful acoustically IMO.

 

[ldiezman]

I actually played one about 3 weeks ago and before I plugged it in I just sat there for a few minutes just walking around on it and It sounded pretty decent to me.. Not loud by any means but it had more volume than any solid body i've played.. then I plugged it in.. and it surely was one of the nicest fretless basses i've ever played.

 

[arizonabass]

My mb-2 4-string sounds just fine unplugged. As the others have said, not all that much volume, but you can certainly feel it and hear it and its tone and nuances. I'm enjoying playing this instrument more and more.

 

[Chunk-O-Funk]

Same here.

I have a Mouse 30 with an F hole. It sounds great unplugged and does resonate because of the design. Not nearly enough to compete with an actual acoustic though.

 

[Geoff St. Germaine]

I LOVE the sound of a Rob Allen unplugged. I am constantly playing it unplugged at home. It resonates beautifully. It's not that it is particularly louder uplugged than a solid body, but it is full sounding and musical.

Don't get me wrong, you couldn't even use it uplugged with an acoustic guitarist IMO... but for just sitting around playing alone, it really sounds wonderful acoustically IMO.

This matches my experience with Rob Allen's basses.

 

[Marcury]

Yup, what everyone else said. Great sound unplugged, but not loud enough for anything but quiet solo practice.

 

[spade2you]

I have an MB2 and a Mouse 30 with an F-hole. I don't know if it's the different woods or what, but the Mouse 30 seems more audible unplugged. It's certainly not loud enough to gig without an amp, but about loud enough for some quiet home jam sessions with yourself.

 

[Hoover]

Great sound unplugged, but not loud enough for anything but quiet solo practice.

Exactly. Only slightly louder than a solid body, but you can hear elements of its exquisite tone even at those very low levels. I rarely plug into an amp when practicing anymore.

 

[rob2966]

Good unplugged volume for practicing at home. I usually sit in the dark and play (good practice for the intonation when you can't see the lines on the fretboard).

Later
Rob